X-ray shield



Aug. 30, 1932. R H, WAPPLER 1,874,672

X-RAY SHIELD Filed May l, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 /745 A TTORNE Y,

ug. 30, 1932. R. H. WAPPLER 1,374,672

x-RAY SHIELD Filed may 1, 192s 4 sheets-sheet s /21'5 ATTORNEYD X-RAY SHIELD Filed May I, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /SATToRNEY Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED STATES VPiqrENr OFFICE REINHOLD n. WAPPLER, or YoNKnR-s,r ivnwvonx, AssIGNOR To WAPPLER ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC.,-or LONG ISLAND-CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or lNEW YORK X-RAY SHIELD application siedfnay fi, 1923. serial No. 635,857.

My invention relates Vto X-rayshields of the type in which theshield is of substantially tubular form and in which the X-r'ay tube is contained within the shield, so asfto protect the patient, the operator and any bystanders present, from the undesirableeifects of the X- ravs.

More particularly stated, my invention comprehends a numberof distinct objects,as follows: y

I. To provide a protectivel shield for enclosing the Xray tube, this shield consisting entirely of metal huilt up in layers and so arranged as to provide adequate protection to bystanders as against the X-rays, and to afford suflicient mechanical strength for the purposes here contemplated,as well as to render sufficiently rapid the cooling of the eX- terior of the Xlray tube.. y f

II. To ground this'v Xiray shield, so that a patient or afbystande'r'coming into contact with the shield receives no electrical shock; and by using this grounded shield in connection with means yfor exhausting vthe air from the shield, to easily remove thevitiated and 'heated air from within the casingand discharge' the same outside, this being ,l impossible with a shield which is ungr'ounded.

III. To give the metallic shield such form that while the X-ray tube is housed within fthe shieldVa-nd is in action the Velectrical stresses are substantially uniform upon different portions ofthe X-ray tube, and so thatoutside fields, either electrostatic or electromagnetic in character, are unable to produce ,uneven stresses such as tend yto cause punctures to take place in the tube.

IV. To employ in fconnection with the shield, insulators of improvedv form, so located as to extend throughthe wall ofthe shield .and so arranged that when high vtension impulses are conducted through'the insulators Vto, the X-ray tube, no uneven :fields of stress Yare thereby set up, around the vX-ray tube.

V. To render the tube shield adjustable into an innite number of relative positions, so as to enable a patient resting'on thetable to be exposed to the kX-rays at Van iniinite number of different angles,:and1 so'that various `p arts of the patients body may be'convenien'tly subjected to the treatment ofyrays from the X-ray tube, without placing the patient in uncomfortable positions.

VI. To so form, construct and arrange the X-ray tubealnd insulators used in immediate connection therewith asto decrease the danger of electrical breakdowns, or the `formation of oscillations, or the diversion of current impulses applied to the X-ray'tube.

uIt is a fact, well known in this art, that metals high in the series of atomic vWeights are the one most effective for protecting patients and vbystanders against the action of X-rays, and vnaturally the metal most widely used for the protective purposes here contem plated is lead. IIowever,on account of its softness lead has not sufficient mechanical strength kror ashield .which is to be `portable and adapted to'be shipped. For this reason I prefer to `use a lead cylinder. supported by va cylinderof steel, though a cylinder of any other'metal having suflicient-strength for the purpose may be employed to support the lead cylinder. `With the lead cylinder and thecylinderof strong metal for supporting the same,

I employ another cylinder enclosingthe two concentrically and made tof copper, aluminum or other metal which is a good conductor of heat and which is adapted to receive and retain an'elegant finish. p

i It is a fact not generally recognized in this art that although the insulation between a casing and an X-ray tube contained therein may be improved lby enlarging the casing,

lthere are in practice severe limitations ltoipre- 'vent undue Venlargement of the casing.: such as rendering the structure lunwieldy and V1ncreasing disproportionately the expense of construction. One purpose of my invention lis to confer upon the casing such form thata given enlargement'of the casing Vgives a maximuml of insulationeiciency. I do ythis by' rendering the ends of the casing-substantially hemispherical, thus rendering all'parts of its inner surface equi-distant from the nearest contiguous portion ofthe X-ray tube.

, Heretofore in this art there has been much difficulty in providing and maintaining good vinsulation between the 'casing used 'as an X- ray shield and the electrodes leading into the y5o L a portion of the gearing used for raising and lowering the casing with its contents.

The casing as a whole is indicated by the Vau X-ray tube.

casing for the purpose of energizing the It has been usually found 1n practice that in order to obtain the required insulation it was necessary to use tubular 1nsulators of considerable length and large size, thus leading to many-undesirable complications. I seek to equip the casing with insulators of improved construction and arrangement, s as to obtain a maximum of good 1nsulation while allowing the apparatus to be made compact, and without unduly increasing the cost of the mechanism.

n practical X-ray Work itis desirable that the operator can quickly and easily obtain access to the X-ray tube, and that the casing containing theftube and used as a. screen may be readily adjustable into various positions relatively to the operating table and to various other parts with which the work of the X-ray tube is associated. On this account I seek to give the casing such form, construction and arrangement that the operator can easily and quickly turn the casing from one position to another, and I provide means for enabling the operator to lock the casing in the new positions into which it is thus moved. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device as used in connection with an` X-ray table.

Figure 2 is a substantially central longitudinal section lthrough the casing and parts immediately associated therewith.

' Figure 3 is a section on the line 3#3 of Figure 1, looking vin the direction indicated by the arrows. l Figure 4 is a section on the line 4 4' of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and showing certain movable .parts occupying positions different from those occupied by the same parts in Figure 3.

` Figure 5v is a sectionrsimilar to a portion of Figure 2, but upon a somewhat larger scale. f Y Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing various parts associated with the casing for facilitating the handling thereof.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section showing reference letter 8. A copper cylinder 9, `a

'leadcylinder 10 and a steel cylinder 11 are nested together concentrically, the lead cylin der vbeing fitted snugly into the coppercylinder and the steel cylinder beingl fitted into u the lead cylinder, so that the three` metallic cylinders are practically merged into a single .cylinder composed of three .thicknesses of metal. The composite cylinder thus formed carries a pair of annular rails 12, 13. Adjacent these are a air of steel straps 1,4, 15, used as hereinafter escribed.

raised beads 23 ofV annular form encircling these holes. A pair of filter members 24, made of gauze, felt, cloth or the like, are fitted upon the annular beads 23 and held in position thereupon by caps 25, these caps being provided with inlet holes 26, andheld in position byv screws 27 or equivalent fastenings.

Extending radially into the casing 8 are a pair of insulatingmembers 28 and 29, each madeof mcanite or other suitable insulating material andv carrying a packing 30. The insulating members 28v and 29 extend through lcollars 31; thesev collars each being provided with a flange 32 and held in position by bolts 33,' which extend ythrough this fiange and through the wall of the casing. The insulating members 28 and 29 are adjustable in the sense that they may each be moved in the direction of their length, or' in other words moved radially inward and outward relatively to the casing. The insulating members 28 and 29, when thus adjusted, are held firmly in position by clamping screws 34 extending through the walls of the collar 31. Located withinthe tubular members 28V and 29 are a pair of supportingrings 35 and 36, exactly alike.y These rings sup ort insulating conductors 37 and 38, whic extend len hwise through the tubular insulating mem ers 28 and 29. Engaging these rings 35 and 36 are tube packings 38 and 39, made of soft rubber and eachhaving a form which may be understood more particularly by reference to Figure 5./ e

An air pipe i0 is connected with the casing 8 by aid of a collar 41, secured in position by means of bolts41. The air pipe 40 is rConnected with` an air pump, not shown, but k'indicated by the'legend To Pump, appearlng in Figure 1. When the air pump is in operation it continuously draws the air yout of the casing, and the air constantly enters the casing through the holes 26 and through the filter member 24, Thus the air is yeffectively filtered as it passes into the casing, so that..k

Ythere is aconstant circulation of air through the casing. The purpose of this arrangement is threefold: first, to remove the air heated up by the X-ray tube and thus to maintain a relaf tively low temperature in the X-ray tube and parts contiguous thereto; second, to remove Vthe air as itbecomes ionized by yaction of the X-rays anis thus rendered more or less conductive; and third, to prevent the X-ray tube from. contaminating t phere! e surrounding atmos- Y oai tion by screws k60. with an openingl which is in registry with The casing is provided with a 'large opening 48and a smallerlopening 44, theseopenings servingas doorways and Ybeing disposed dianietrically opposite each other, as may be understood from Figure 4.

Located adjacent the opening 43 is a ldoor 45, mounted upon hinges 46 .as indicated in Figures 3 and 4, and provided internally with `a lining 45a of lead and with a facing 47 of felt. The door 45 carries lugs 48. Two clasps 49 are journaled upon the casing, and arefeachvv adapted to engage a pair of the lugs V48 in order to hold the door closed, as Iindicated in Figure v4. Each clasp 49 is provided with a handle 50, whereby it is operated. Connected with the door 45 are a pair of chains 51, which are also connected with the casing. These chains liinit the travel of the door as the saine is swung open, as may be understood from Figure i). Mounted Vrigidly upon the casing, and disposed adjacent the opening 44, is a supporting ring 58 vcarrying -a small eye piece 54, this eyepiece having the Aform of a disk and being made of glass or other transparent material. The eye piece carries a pair of crossed wires, used as hereinafter described.

A small door 56, having the form of a disk, is mounted upon the supporting ring 53 by means of a hinge 57. The door 56 niay be opened and closed by hand. Vhen closed it is held by valatch 58, as indicated in Figure 4. The door is shown in Figure 6 as swung downwardly, or open. lVith the door in this position the operator can look through the eye piece 54 rinto the casing.

Mounted upon the vlower portion of the casing, and extending' downwardly therefrom, is a supporting ring 59, held in posi- Tlie casing is provided the opening 'through the supporting ring 59. Another supporting ring 62 enciroles the supporting ring 59, and is secured thereupon by bolts 63. A compression cone appears at 164' and is secured to the supporting ring 62 -by screws 65. A :number of filter plates are shown at 66, 67 and 68, and are held in po'- sition by the supporting ring 62 andl by the compression cone 64.

Each strap 14iand 15 is secured at one of its ends by a `fastening 69, atvits opposite end is provided with an outwardly extending flange portion 70. This portion is connected with a'turnbuckle 71, secured toa `bolt 72, and used for tightening the strap. The annular rails 12, 13 restupon and are guided by rollers 73. There are four of these rollers, and they are journaled upon four lugs 74 which are integral with. and extend upwardly from, a supporting ring 7 5. The supporting ring 75 is disposed horizontally, and is provided with an annular portion '76, extenddownwardly. This annular portion is `provided with flanges 7 7'integral with it and extending downwardly from its lower edge. Guide `pins 78 `are carried by these `flanges, and eXtend radially outward therefrom, .as maybe understood from Figure 2.

A carriage frame appears at 79, and is provided with a large opening 79a of circular form, .through which extends the annular portion 76 of the supporting ring k7 5.

Journaled upon the carriage frame 79 are supporting rollers 80, which rest upon a pair of rails 81, extending horizontally and disposed parallel with each other. Journaled upon the carriage 79 are guide rollers 82, which engage the outer surface ofthe portion 76 of the supporting ring, as may be understood more particularly from Figure 6. The rollers 82 are in this instance three in number and are arranged in the saine plane, which is horizontal. Journaled upon the carriage 79 are three supporting rollers 83, which engage the under side of vthe supporting rings 75, as may be understood from Fig- Aure l.

rlhe carriage 79 is provided with four lugs S4 extending downwardly from it, as indicated in Figure 4. A plurality of pins S8 project outwardly from the lugs 84 and are surrounded by loose collars or rollers 87. Longitu- -dina-linovenient of the rollers 87 relative 'to the pins 8S, is prevented by the head of the by adj usting the supporting ring 75 relatively to the carriage frame, can turn the casing 8 as a whole relatively to various other parts.

The carriage 79 and all parts carried thereby, including the casing 8, may as a unit be moved back and forth along the. rails 8l. Thus the operator can to all intents and purposes shift the position of the casing relatively to the length of the rails 8l.

With the carriage thus brought into position and for the time being locked against further movement, the operator can turn the casing 8 upon its longitudinal axis, and lock it into the position which it is thus turned. For this purpose the operator irst actuates the turn buckles 70, thereby loosening the straps 14 and 15. This done he turns the casing by hand, either in a. clockwise direction or a counter-clockwise direction according .to Figures 3 and 4, and again actuates the turn buckles so as to tighten the straps 14 and 15. The movements just described are quite easily effected, even though the jIll() casing 8 may be quite heavy. This is because the entire weight of the casing and its contents rests upony the roller 73.

The casing carries a. graduated strip 13, anda pointer 13b is mounted upon the strap 15. These two parts together constitute ra scale for registering the position of thecasing relatively to the strap 15, or in other words enables the operator to read oit the extent to which the casing is turned from a predetermined normal position. Therefore the operator can so adjust the casing as to bring the doorways 43 and 44, as well as the compression cone 64, into different'positions. He can also turn the casing into suitable position to promote the accessibility of the electrical connections used for energizing the X-ray tube.

The crossheams are mounted rigidly upon a pair of tubular telescopic members and 91, which extend vertically into two larger telescopic members 92 and 93 and are fitted into bushings 94 and 95 carried thereby, as may be understood from Figure 7. The tubular telescopic member 91 is at its y lower end provided with a nut 96 of annular form, which is secured rigidly to the telescopic member and thus movable bodily therewith. Extending through this nut and into the tubular member 91 is a screw 97, provided with a portion 98 having a reduced Adiameter and serving as a shaft. The-parts just mentioned are journaled in a bearing 99. which meshes with another bevel gear 101. The bevel gear 103 meshes with a bevel gear 104, the latter having the same relation to a screw 108 that the bevel gear 100 has to the screw 97. The screws 97 and 108 are turned in opposite directions, as may be understood from Figure 7. The tubular member 92 is supported by a bearing 105, and connected with this bearing is a pedestal 106. The tubular member 92 carries a similar pedestal 107. f I Y The shaft 102 carries a sprocket wheel 109 whereby it is turned, as may be understood from Figure 7. A gear casing 110 is mounted rigidly upon the bearing 99, and projects upwardly therefrom. k'Extending into the gear casing 110 and journaled thereto is a shaft 111, carrying a crank arm 112. The shaft 111 also carries ar sprocket wheel. Engaging this sprocket wheel is a sprocket chain 114, which also engages the sprocket wheel 109, carried by the shaft 102.

The operator, by rotating thek crank arm 112 by hand,l causes the various gear members controllable thereby to turn the two screws 97 and 108in opposite directions as above described, thus causing the tubular members 90 and 91, controllable practically as a unit, to be raised or lowered. By this l means the carriage and all parts supported The shaft 98 carries a bevel gear 100, l

thereby, and including the casing 8, are raised and lowered as the operator may desire. Y

The telescopic members 92 and 93 are supported upon two slides 115 and 116, as shown in Figures 1 and 6 respectively, these slides being mounted upon and supported by a pair of rails 117 and 118. vEach slide 115 and 116 carries rollers l119 which engage the top edge of'the rails supporting the slide, and also carries guide pins 120 whichengage the bottom edge of the rail.

The rails 117 and 118 vare ymounted .upon a table 121. This table is provided with a couch 122 and a head rest 123, so that a vpatient may recline upon the couch, with his head upon the head rest. By means of an adjusting device 124, the head rest may be adjusted in the manner well known in this art. v v

The table is connected with the ground at 125, and as the table and practically all parts of the frameworkare made of metal, the X-ray tube is in metallic communication with the earth at 125.

As may be readily understood, from the foregoing description the X-ray shield consists entirely of metal which is built up in layers and so arranged as to provide adequate protection as against the X-rays to operatives and bystanders. The X-ray Shield has sufficient mechanical strength for all practical purposes, and provision is made for the rapid cooling of the X-ray tube.

Si nce the table upon which the patient rests is grounded, so that the X-ray. shield is grounded through the same earth connection, there is no danger of either the patient or any other person receiving a shock because of coming into contact with the X-ray shield. Moreover, the grounding of the X-ray shield has a singular effect in connectionwith the exhaust apparatus, in that it enables the vitiated and heated air within the X-ray shieldl to be easily removed and carried outside. This result is not accomplished if the X-ray shield is left ungrounded.

Just why the grounding of the X-ray shield enabled the vitiated and heated air to be readily removed in a matter not easily explained. However, the fact herenoted is borne out in practice. l

Because of the rform of the metallic shield 4above described it follows that with the tube enclosedin the shield and in action, the various electrical and magnetic surfaces are so distributed astoy be uniform relatively to different portions of the X-ray tube. The result is that extrinsic fields, either electrical or magnetic,are unable to produce uneven fields ofstress such as `usual y tend to break or puncture anX-ray tube.

Since the current impulses used for enerizing the tubes are conducted into the shield `y means of the tubular insulators above described, these insulators, because of their Yns form and arrangement, have a tendency to prevent uneven stresses around the X-ray tube.

It will be noted that the X-ray shield can be so used as to expose a patient, resting upon the table, to the action of X-rays reaching the patient from many different directions. It will also be noted that various parts of the patientmay be conveniently subjected to the action of the X-rays without the necessity of placing the patient in any uncomfortable position.

The construction and arrangement of the X-ray shield and the tubular insulators used therewith are such as to decrease to a minimum the danger of electrical breakdowns, the formation of oscillations, and the diversion of currents transmitted to the X-ray tube.

The operator, by moving the slides 115 and 116 relatively tothe rails 117 and 118, can move the casing 8 and the carriage supporting the same into various positions relatively to the length of the X-ray table.

I do not limit myself to the particular construction described and illustrated, as variations may be made therein without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. The combination of an X-ray shield having a general cylindrical forni and built up of a plurality of dierent metals, said X-ray shield having its ends rounded to prevent the formation of uneven electrical stresses within it, and an X-ray tube located within said X-ra-y shield and having its ends extending approximately to the center of curvature of the rounded ends of said X-ra-y shield.

2. In an X-ray screen the combination of a plurality of .substantially cylindrical members made of different metals nested concentrically to form a composite cylindrical member, a pair of substantially hemispherical end caps made of metal for closing the ends of the composite cylindrical member thus formed, and means for supporting an X-ray tube within said cylindrical member, in spaced relation to said end caps.

3. rI`he combination of a supporting member, a plurality of rollers mounted upon said supporting member, annular rails resting upon said rollers and movable relatively to said supporting member, an X-ray shield of substantially cylindrical form extending through said annular rails and supported thereby upon said rollers, an X-ray tube mounted within said X-ray shield, and means for conducting high tension currents to said X-ray tube. i

4. In a device the combination of an X- ray shield of substantially cylindrical form,

ray tube mounted centrally within said X-ray i shield. y

5. A device comprising an X-ray shield of substantially cylindrical forni, rails of substantially annular form carried by said X-ray shield and encircling the same, supporting rollers engaging said annular rails and supporting the weight of said annularV rails and said X-ray shield, to allow said X- ray shield to be turned into different positions, straps encircling said X-ray shield `and connected with a fixture, and means controllable at the will of the operator for loosening and tightening said straps.

6. A device comprising an X-ray shield having the form of a substantially cylindrical casing, an X-ray tube mounted within .said casing lengthwise in the general direction of the axis thereof, a supporting ring located below said X-ray shield and supporting the weight thereof, rolle-rs engaging said supporting ring and thus supporting the weight of said casing, mechanism adapted to be connected with said supporting ring for locking the same in different positions into which said supporting ring mayv be turned.

7. In an X-ray device, a tubular container, an X-ray tube extending axially within said container, and a carrier in which said container is mounted to turn about the axis of the container and of the tube, said carrier being adjustable in a direction transverse to said axis.

8. In X-ray apparatus, an X-ray tube, an envelope substantially surrounding said tube, the body of said envelope consisting substantially of two cylinders of conducting material whose longitudinal axes are substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the X-ray tube, said cylinders being telescoped one within the other, the space between said cylinders being lilled with material opaque to X-rays.

9. In X-ray apparatus, an X-ray tube, an envelope substantially surrounding said tube, the body of said envelope consisting substantially of two cylinders telescoped one within the other, the space between said cylinders being filled with material opaque to X-rays, and hemispherical ends for closing the ends of said cylinders.

Signed at Long Island City, in the county of Queens and State of New York, this 27th day of April, 1923.

REINI-IOLD H. WAPPLER. 

